I'm going to get a bit sappy while saying this, but part of the reason I love party-based rpgs is because I feel like it provides me with an opportunity to collect a group of friends from a wide variety of backgrounds and explore their relationships not only to my main character, but to each other. Hearing the news that I would be forced to leave some of these companions behind after Act 1 of BG3 has made me more than a little bit disappointed. Baldur's Gate as a series has always allowed me to swap characters out not only to try different class synergies, but to hear different combinations of characters banter and get to know one another. It's like building a family. They don't always get along (some might even hate each other!) but watching those relationships grow is rewarding, and is my favorite part of games like BG1 and 2 as well as Dragon Age, Pillars of Eternity and other games with a varied cast of companions. I was similarly heartbroken when I realized that half the cast of D:OS2 would be left behind, and found myself enjoying that game less than I'd hoped to because of it. I get that part of this decision is to encourage multiple playthroughs, but to me a playthrough is like a journey, and leaving friends behind on a journey just...doesn't feel right. So Larian, I kindly ask that you please reconsider this direction and allow all companions to be accessible throughout the game so we can watch their relationships unfold as we embark upon our quest.
